CRM, File Management, Estimate Creation & Invoicing

The Five Core Rules of Data & File Management

Speed & Accuracy Trade-Off

When entering data, if you're unsure about a field, stop and verify before proceeding. A 5-minute pause to verify a phone number prevents a 30-minute phone call later when the invoice is sent to the wrong address.

Required Fields for All New Records

Duplicate Handling Process

Before creating any new customer record:

1. Search by company name — Look for exact matches and similar names in HubSpot
2. Search by phone number — Duplicates often have the same phone but different names
3. Search by email address — Email is the most reliable unique identifier
4. If a match is found — Merge or update the existing record instead of creating a new one
5. If no match is found — Proceed with creating a new record with complete information

Duplicate records create lost follow-ups, missed opportunities, and billing errors. If you find a duplicate, merge immediately. Do not leave duplicates unresolved.

Deal/Pipeline Stage Update Rules

Update deal stage in HubSpot when the job status changes:

Note-Taking Standards

Every customer record and deal should have notes that explain what happened and when. Use this format:

• Always include date — Format: MM.DD.YY (no month names)
• Always include initials — Who made this entry?
• Always include action or outcome — What happened? What's next?
• Include follow-up date if applicable — "Follow up 03.24" is better than no follow-up
• Never use inside jokes or vague references — Future readers won't understand

Folder Naming Convention

All job files go in Google Drive in this structure:

Example:

• 2026 / Smith Construction / Office Tower Film Installation
• 2026 / Johnson Residential / 1234 Oak Street Window Tint

• Use proper case (Title Case), not ALL CAPS
• Use customer's actual company name, not your shorthand
• Use project location or type if customer has multiple projects
• No special characters except hyphens and spaces
• Keep folder names under 80 characters

Required Files per Job

Every job folder must contain these documents:

Version Control for Proposals & Documents

When creating multiple versions of an estimate or proposal, use this naming:

Example:

• Smith_Estimate_v1.pdf (initial quote)
• Smith_Estimate_v2.pdf (revised with options)
• Smith_Estimate_final.pdf (customer approved version)

Delete old versions after final version is approved. Only keep the final, approved version in the folder. This prevents confusion about which version is current.

Photo & Document Standards

Inputs Required Before Estimate Creation

Do not start estimating until you have collected:

1. Complete site measurements — Square footage, number of windows, door types, etc.
2. Material specifications — Film type, tint percentage, shade type, motorization, etc.
3. Customer approval — Customer has confirmed measurements and specifications are correct
4. Installation access details — How will crew access the site? Any special equipment needed?
5. Timeline — When does customer need the work done?
6. Special conditions — Building restrictions, HOA approvals, permits required, etc.

Measurement & Scope Documentation

Every estimate must include documentation of what was measured and verified:

Pricing Logic & Margin Review

Before submitting an estimate, verify:

• Material cost is accurate — Check current pricing, not outdated quotes
• Labor is properly estimated — Use crew time history for similar jobs
• Margin is healthy — Typical target is 35-45% gross margin on labor, 20% on materials
• Price is competitive — Not the lowest, but reasonable for the market
• Everything is documented — Future reader can understand the breakdown

If pricing feels uncertain, escalate to management before sending. A low-ball estimate that loses money is worse than no estimate at all.

How Options & Alternates Are Presented

When offering alternatives, present them clearly with separate pricing:

Approval Rules Before Sending

Before sending an estimate to a customer, verify:

1. All numbers are double-checked — No math errors, prices are current
2. Scope is complete and clear — Customer won't be surprised later
3. Exclusions are listed — Customer knows what's NOT included
4. Timeline is realistic — Can crew actually deliver on this schedule?
5. Estimate is signed/dated — Shows when it was created, who created it

Deposit Invoicing

For most jobs, Sea Cool requires a deposit (typically 50%) before work begins.

• Send deposit invoice immediately after estimate approval — Don't wait
• Deposit amount — Typically 50% of total estimate
• Payment deadline — Usually 7 days from invoice date
• Work does not start until deposit is received — No exceptions
• Keep deposit separate in accounting — Track it as deposit, not revenue

Final Invoice Timing

Supporting Documents Required Before Billing

Before sending any final invoice, make sure you have:

Collections Follow-Up Cadence

Once an invoice is sent, track it until it's paid. Use this follow-up schedule:

Many invoices get paid just because someone followed up. The difference between Net 30 and Net 60 is 50% longer to wait for cash. Every day you follow up matters.

Escalation Rules for Overdue Balances

If a customer reaches 45+ days past due:

1. Contact the customer directly by phone — Email is ignored. Call and have a real conversation
2. Understand the reason for delay — Cash flow issue? Dispute? Forgot? Each has a different solution
3. If dispute, escalate to management immediately — Don't negotiate, get decision-maker involved
4. Set a payment deadline — "We need payment by [specific date] or we'll have to escalate this"
5. If deadline passes, escalate to owner/executive — May require legal action or collections agency
6. Stop all future work until account is current — No exceptions

When a Change Order Is Required

• Customer requests additional scope — Extra windows, additional features, etc.
• Scope reduction — Customer cancels part of the original scope
• Site conditions change — Unexpected obstacles that increase labor or cost
• Timeline acceleration — Customer wants work done faster, requires premium labor or expedited materials
• Material substitution — Customer wants different materials than originally estimated

If a customer asks for anything beyond the original estimate, stop and write a change order. Verbal agreements lead to disputes about whether the change was approved or how much it costs.

Change Order Process

1. Stop work (if applicable) — Don't proceed with a change unless you have written approval
2. Document the change — What exactly is changing? Why?
3. Calculate the impact — How much will it cost in labor and material? How much longer will it take?
4. Prepare a change order form — Include description, cost, and timeline impact
5. Send to customer for approval — Include your contact for questions
6. Get signed approval before proceeding — Email confirmation is acceptable
7. File in the job folder — Keep with the original estimate for records
8. Invoice the change order amount — Either as a separate invoice or added to the final invoice

Change Order Documentation Example

Random Estimate Review

Management will randomly review estimates on a monthly basis:

• Check 10-15% of estimates created that month — Spot-check for accuracy and completeness
• Verify measurements and scope are documented — Not guessed
• Verify pricing is reasonable and margin is healthy — No low-ball estimates
• Verify exclusions are listed — Customer knows what's NOT included
• If issues found, correct the process — Not just that one estimate

Weekly Open Invoice Review

Every Friday, office staff will:

• Review all open invoices — Which ones are unpaid and how old?
• Flag invoices past 30 days — These need follow-up calls
• Update payment status — Record any received payments immediately
• Escalate past 45 days to management — Needs executive attention

Spot-Check File Completeness

Management will randomly check that job folders contain all required documents:

• Check 5-10 completed job folders per month — Are all required documents present?
• If documents are missing, request them from the team — Assign a deadline
• Track completion rate — Target: 100% of job folders complete within 30 days of job completion

Correct Errors at the System Level

When errors are found in data entry, estimates, or collections:

1. Don't just fix that one item — Fix the root cause in the system
2. Example: If an estimate has wrong pricing for "film installation labor" — Check all recent estimates and correct the pricing formula, not just that one estimate
3. Train the person who made the error — Help them not make the same mistake again
4. Document the change — Keep a log of system corrections for future reference